Convertable sewing machine cabinet

ABSTRACT

A sewing machine cabinet for receiving a sewing machine head of the type having a free arm which cabinet permits the elevation of the sewing machine to a first elevation for free arm operation and to a lower elevation for flat bed operation. The sewing machine cabinet includes a table top with a sewing machine cutout therein. The sewing machine head is secured to a mounting platform which platform cooperates and moves vertically within a platform carriage or well of like configuration supported beneath the sewing machine cutout to guide the vertical movement of the sewing machine head within the cutout. Locking means are provided to secure the mounting platform to the platform carriage to maintain the sewing machine head at the selected elevation. Hinges between the platform carriage and the table top permit the sewing machine head to be swung into storage position.

Einited States Patent 11 1 1111 3,765,739 Williams Oct. 16, 1973 CONVERTABLE SEWING MACHINE CABINET Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay

Assistant Examiner-Darrell Marquette [76] Inventor: Lester W. Williams, Sutton, W. Va. Attorney-Charles Duffield 26601 [22] Filed: Oct. 17, 1969 [57] AIFSTRACT A sewing machine cabinet for rece1v1ng a sewing mapp N011 367,141 chine head of the type havinga free arm which cabinet permits the elevation of the sewing machine to a 52 US. Cl. 312/30 first eleveheh fer free epereheh and a lewer 51 1m. (:1 Ai'l b 81/00 eleveheh fer bed eperehen- The Sewing machine 58 Field of Search 312/21 22 30 319 eehihe includes a table with a sewing machine 31:2/333 cutout therein. The sewing machine head is secured to a mounting platform which platform cooperates and [56] References Cited inlfves vte rticaliy within a plgtiorm carriage or well of 1 e con 1gurat1on supporte eneat t e sewing ma- UNITED STATES PATENTS chine cutout to guide the vertical movement of the 2,909,401 10/1959 B organ 312/30 Sewing machine head within the cutout Locking g gf means are provided to secure the mounting platform 2882111 4/1959 'i z 312121 to the platform carriage to maintain the sewing ma- 2903314 9/1959 van 312/29 chine head at the selected elevation. Hinges between 3:05l:538 8/1962 Parsons........................::::.:::: 312/30 the Platform carriage and the table top Permit the sewing machine head to be swung into storage position.

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E s LN m Patented Oct. 16, 1973 4 Shoots-Shoot 1 INVENTOR LESTER W. WILLIAMS ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LESTER W. WILLIAMS M yaw ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1973 3,765,739

4 Shoots-Shoot 4 INVENTOR LESTER W. WILLIAMS ATTORNEY 1 CONVERTABLE SEWING MACHINE CABINET BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Conventional sewing machines and especially those which are normally found in homes operate in what is known as the flat bed mode of operation. In this position, the foot cover plate of the sewing machine is at the same level or elevation as the top of the table. Whenever a portion of a garment, such as a cuff of a pants leg or arm of a shirt, must be sewn or mended on a flat bed sewing machine, the portion thereof being sewn must be maintained against the foot cover plate and the remainder of the cuff supported above the cover plate of the sewing machine and held out of the way of the sewing machine needle. Sewing in this manner on a flat bed machine can be most difficult and, especially, when the radius of the cuff is rather small. Additionally, due to the crowded conditions under which the sewing must be effected, the quality of the stitching is sometimes affected and, in some cases, such an operation can even be hazardous due to the close proximity of the needle to the persons hand while trying to maintain the remainder of the cuff, or the like, out of interference with the needle.

This problem, in home type sewing machines, has been recognized by the sewing machine industry and, recently, new home sewing machine models have been introduced which are of the type which include what is known as a free am. In this type of sewing machine, the bobbin mechanism and foot cover plate are suspended above the base of the sewing machine head. Whenever the free arm is elevated above the level of the sewing machine cabinet top, the cuffs of pants and the like may. be slid over or around the free arm preparatory to the sewing operation. During the stitching of the cuff, the upper portion thereof will be sewn and moved along such that the bulk of the cuff will pass around the arm underneath the cover plate thereof and out of interference with the sewing machine needle.

Sewing-machines of the new type may also be employed in the conventional flat bed operation, if desired. This mode of operation is available whenever the sewing machine is lowered to a level such that the foot cover plate of the free arm is level with the table top of the sewing machine cabinet.

A sewing machine cabinet for supporting a sewing machine of the free arm type must be one which is capable of providing the necessary elevation adjustments for the sewing machine head to permit its operation alternately in either the free arm or the flat bed mode of operation. It is also a necessary criteria of such a cabinet that the sewing machine be capable of being swung into the cabinet for storage whenever the sewing machine is not in use.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a sewing machine cabinet whichwill accommodate and support a sewing head of the free arm type for use in both the free arm and flat bed modes of operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sewing machine cabinet which, in addition to supporting the sewing machine head for both free arm The foregoing objects are carried out by the sewing machine cabinet of the present invention by providing guide means beneath the sewing machine table top and adjacent the sewing machine cutout therein which permit the sewing machine head to move vertically within the sewing machine cutout to elevations at least between the flat bed and free arm positions. Locking means are provided to secure the sewing machine head against further movement whenver it has been elevated to at least the free arm position.

In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the guide means include a platform carriage disposed beneath the sewing machine cutout. A mounting platform to which the sewing head is secured is provided and is of configuration complimentary to the platform carriage. The mounting platform is disposed within the platform carriage and moves vertically therein to pro- I DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sewing machine raised for flat bed operation: FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the sewing machine raised for free arm operation:

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the sewing machine cabinet of the presentinvention:

FIG. 4 is an end sectional view of the sewing machine and cabinet raised for flat bed operation:

FIG. 5 is an end sectional view showing the sewing machine and cabinet in storage position:

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the sewing machine raised for flat bed operation, and:

FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of the sewing machine The sewing machine cabinet of the present invention is designed to accommodate a free arm type of sewing machine head 10 shown inFIGS. l and 2. This type of sewing machine employs a free arm 11 disposed above the mounting base 12. The free arm 11 carries the bobbin and bobbin mechanism for the machine and the operation of the machine is otherwise conventional with the exception of the free arm space between the free arm and mounting base.

When the sewing machine is positioned for flat bed use, as shown in FIG. 1, the foot cover plate 13 of the free arm 11 is level with the table top 14 and bib 15 of the sewing machine cabinet. An insert 16 provides a filler around the free arm 11 and the edges of the table top 14 to provide a continuous work supporting surface. In this position, the sewing machine operates in the conventional flat bed mode.

The manner in which a free arm type sewing machine would be used when in the free arm position is shownin FIG. 2. In this position, the sewing head 10 is elevated above the surface of the table top 14 to a. position at which the top of the mounting base 12 is now level with the table top. In this position, the free arm 11 is entirely above the table top surface. Portions of garments, such as pants cuffs and the like, may now be inserted or slide over the free arm to permit the cuff to be sewn while the remainder of the cuff is disposed below and underneath the cover plate 13 and thus out of interference with the needle.

The details of the sewing macaine cabinet of the present invention may be seen from FIGS. 3-7 of the drawings. The cabinet 17 includes a sewing machine table top 14 and a sewing machine cutout 18 in the table top. Supported beneath the cutout 18 is a platform carriage 19. The platform carriage, in the embodiment shown, is rectangular in configuration and includes bottom panels 20 therein and sidewalls 24a, 24b, 25a and 25b.

The platform carriage 19 is secured, at one of its long sides thereof, to the cabinet top 14 by means of a pair (one only shown) of hinges 21.

The opposite side of the platform carriage is secured to the table top, when in horizontal or erected position,

by means of a latchmechanism 22. The latch r'nechanism includes two vertically extending catches 23 at either end of the opposing sidewalls 25a and 25b of the platform carriage. The catches 23 are connected together for common movement by means of a latch bar 26 which, in turn, is actuated by a latch release handle 27 which is biased into latching position by a spring member 28.

As more particularly shown in FIG. 4, the catches 23 engage catch plates 29 secured to the underside of the table top 14 when in latched position.

As best shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the sewing machine head is secured by means of its mounting base 12 to a mounting platform 30. The mounting platform 30 is of configuration complementary with the inside configuration of the platform carriage which permits the mounting platform and supported sewing machine to .move vertically within the well.

The sewing machine is shown in relation to the cabinet structure when in the flat bed operating position in FIGS. 4 and'6. In this position, the mounting platform 30 rests against the platform carriage bottom panels 20 sewing machine cutout. As the sewing machine head is lifted through the cutout, the mounting platform 30 will guide the sewing machine in its elevated position within the platform well 19. When the free arm position is reached, the latch plates 29 at the four corners of the sewing machine cutout provide stops against which the head platform 30 rests.

Whenever the sewing machine head is in the free arm position, a locking mechanism 32 is employed to maintain the sewing machine in that position. The locking mechanism 32, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and-4, includes an elongate lock bolt 39 and mating lock nut 33. A stop flange 34 is welded to the lock bolt a short distance from the handle portion 35 thereof and provides a stop against which the bolt may be tightened.

The lock bolt 32 is designed to pass through opposed slots 36 in the sidewalls 25a and 25b of the platform carriage. The lock bolt 32 also passes through apertures 37 in the mounting platform 30. The apertures 37 are formed by a groove in the bottom of the mounting platform 30 and strip members 38.

To release the lock bolt, the handle portion 35 thereof is rotated in an unthreading direction to release the tension on the bolt. The sewing machine head 10 is then either raised to the free arm position or lowered to the flat bed position. When in the raised position, the latch plates 29 will assure leveling of the mounting base 12. At this point, the handle of the lock bolt is turned in the threading direction and the tension on the bolt will secure the mounting platform and sewing machine against downward movement in the platform carriage.

In a like manner, the sewing machine will be leveled in the flat bed position whenever the lock bolt is released and the head platform comes to rest against the bottom panels 20 of the platform carriage.

Following use of the sewing machine, the sewing machine may be placed within the cabinet for storage as shown in FIG. 5. Preparatory to placing the sewing machine in the storage position, the sewing machine head is lowered into the platform carriage into flat bed position. The locking mechanism is then tightened to secure the sewing machine in the flat bed position. Thereafter, the latch release 27 is depressed to move thelatch arms 23 out of engagement with the latch plates 29. The platform carriage 19 is thus released at its one end permitting the carriage to pivotdownwardly into the cavity of the sewing machine cabinet. The bib 15 of the sewing machine cabinet must be-swung upwardly out of the way as the top of the sewing machine head swings downwardly to permit the head to pass into the cabinet. Thereafter, the bib 15 may be closed and the lid of the sewing machine cabinet (not shown) folded over the top of the sewing machine in the conventional manner.

To erect the sewing machine, the bib 15 need be merely swung upwardly out of the way and the platform carriage rotated upwardly until the latch fingers 23 engage the latch plates 29 securing the platform carriage in an erected position. Thereafter, the sewing machine head may be left in the flat bed position or elevated to the free arm position as discussed above.

The sewing machine cabinet of the present invention has been described-in respect to the particular embodiments thereof shownon the drawings. It is, however, to be understood that no limitation is thereby intended but the scope of the invention. is to be determined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A sewing machine cabinet for receiving a sewing machine head of the type having a free arm to alterand an elongate threaded lock bolt passing through the bolt aperture of the mounting platform and the bolt slot of the platform carriage permitting elevation and locking of the sewing machine head secured to the mounting platform at any position relative to the table top within the range of the bolt slot.

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1. A sewing machine cabinet for receiving a sewing machine head of the type having a free arm to alternately provide free arm, flat bed or storage positions comprising: a table top including a sewing machine cutout therein; a platform carriage disposed beneath said sewing machine cutout; a mounting platform to which the sewing machine is secured supported for vertical movement within said platform carriage permitting the sewing machine head to be elevated within the cutout to flat bed and free arm positions; hinge means between the platform carriage and table top to permit the platform carriage and included mounting platform and sewing machine head to be swung down below the table top into storage position; a bolt aperture within the mounting platform; an elongate bolt slot within the platform carriage; and an elongate threaded lock bolt passing through the bolt aperture of the mounting platform and the bolt slot of the platform carriage permitting elevation and locking of the sewing machine head secured to the mounting platform at any position relative to the table top within the range of the bolt slot. 